Smithtown locals could say goodbye to free beach parking

Smithtown could start charging residents to park at town beaches and parks, a proposal that met with pushback at a recent public hearing from local taxpayers who complained about the potential added expense.

Kathleen Cuff, 63, of Kings Park, said the parking fees were “really unfair” for residents who have financial difficulties.

“The use of the public facilities within the Town of Smithtown should go along with our paying of taxes,” she added. “In a day where a box of Cheerios costs seven dollars, I think this is really unfair, especially for young families.”

Under the proposal, most residents would pay $30 for one parking sticker and $15 for a sticker for each additional vehicle.

Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim said in an interview after the Dec. 28 hearing he believes the town is the only Long Island municipality that provides residents with a free parking permit sticker, and that economics are behind the potential change.

Wehrheim also said the increase in minimum wage and an effort to keep the town budget under the 2% state tax cap have forced officials to consider other revenue sources to keep parks and beaches operating.

More revenue is needed to pay seasonal employees like lifeguards and other staff who run recreational programs such as concerts, according to Wehrheim.

If the town doesn't implement the parking sticker fee or find additional revenue, officials may be forced not to hire seasonal employees for beaches and parks, which could result in recreation program cutbacks, he said.

Wehrheim added that the town gets state aid, but only to improve streets and “it's not that much.”

He added: “We felt as a board that a fee to be able to get a town sticker to use in any town facility to park in it was reasonable.”

The town's $129.6 million budget for 2024 raised taxes by 1.9% and included a 4% pay raise for town board members, a year after they got a 10.5% raise. It also hiked the supervisor's salary by 4%, a year after his 22% raise.

The proposed parking sticker legislation states that all residents 62 years old and over, as well as veterans and volunteer firefighters, would be entitled to one permit for a reduced fee of $15.

Nine residents spoke at the hearing against the proposal.

Michael Sparks, 40, of Smithtown, said his family often used town parks for recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic when his wife lost her job.

“Thirty dollars I know doesn’t sound like a lot, but it adds up every time we try to do something,” he added.

Wehrheim also told Newsday after the public hearing that town officials would consider all the comments.

On Tuesday, he said in another interview he has recommended some modifications to the proposal.

Wehrheim said he wants senior citizens and veterans to get parking stickers for free, and for volunteer firefighters and other emergency responders to pay $10 a vehicle. He said legislators are aiming to come to a decision in February.

With Shari Einhorn